The XIV International Tchaikovsky Competition starts today, 7 pm. (GMT+4hrs).This event, which occurs Olympically every four years, is considered to be one of the most important confluences of youth, talent, and prestige in the music world. Superstars will be annointed. Past winners include Van Cliburn, Vladimir Ashkenazy, violinists Gidon Kremer and Elmar Oliveira, and cellist Nathaniel Rosen.
The competition voting procedures have been overhauled, and in a departure from the past, a first prize winner will always be awarded (talk about demoralizing--imagine going through that grueling event only to have the jurors decide that no one was good enough for first prize: "No one is first!" Sounds like a Monty Python sketch...)
Watch webcasts of the event here (you have to sign up for the service): http://pitch.paraclassics.com/Welcome.aspx
See video of Van Cliburn winning in 1958 after the jump:
This event will be covered extensively on the web--you can even watch live rehearsals of the competitors preparing to perform with an orchestra.
Lots of rabbit holes to fall down. Click here for the stats on which countries the performers come from.
Not to sound like from someone from the Victorian era, but these are great times we live in. It's a brave new world, and I mean that NOT in the dystopian way.
If I am feeling classical-music-nerdy enough, I will try to gather a bunch of friends, open some wine and watch the finals, like the Olympics...which it should be...
Read all about the history of the competition, which includes piano, violin, cello, voice, and violin-making here.
It's kind of a brainteaser figuring out when to watch the live events. According to the Competition's website, The Opening ceremonies start at 19:00 in Moscow (note, not all of the events are in Saint Pete's, but they do share a timezeone). For us Americans, that's 7 pm. Moscow is 8 hours ahead (of me, on the Eastern Seabord of the US).
Oh, forget it...just go to this handy current time clock.
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